ALLOA (surveyed in
1861-2)

Introduction

The
town of Alloa is located seven miles east of Stirling, on the north bank of the
River Forth, in the region of Clackmannanshire. The name of Alloa is possibly
derived from the Scottish Gaelic word, ail-mhagh,
which means 'rocky plain'. Given that Alloa is located on a flood plain on the
north bank of the River Forth, the name is particularly apt. However, another
version of Alloa's etymological origins claims that the name comes from the
Roman word, Aluana, as mentioned by
Ptolemy.

As
a child, James VI of Scotland was educated at the castle tower in Alloa, since
the other traditional royal locations were considered to be unsafe. This castle
tower is the ancient residence of the family of Mar, and dates back to 1315.
Traditionally a post, market and sea-port town, Alloa's population in the
census of 1831 was 4,417, increasing to 6,676 in 1851, with 618 houses counted.

Town Planning

Many of the
architectural developments in Alloa were planned and carried out by various
members of the Erskine family, during the eighteenth century. John Erskine, the
6th Earl of Mar, designed and built the deep-water port and the
independent Customs House, plus, in 1714, the Lime Tree Walk that links the
town to the harbour. The Erskine family also laid out a number of gardens and
parks in the town. Although Alloa was originally built around the fourteenth
century castle tower in the centre of the town (which is also where most of the
town's churches are situated), the expansions that took place in the nineteenth
century were mainly to the west of the town. Wilson (1857) observed that the
west end of Alloa boasted 'some elegant villas'.

Trade and Industry

Alloa and its
hinterland boasted many industries during the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. Camlet (cloth used in making petticoats and cloaks) weaving was the
main manufacturing industry in the town, but had become extinct by 1857. The
town's six large factories manufactured plaid, tartan, shawls and blankets, and
a glassworks also existed. Alloa is famous for its beer and whisky and, in
1857, the town possessed six breweries. Tobacco and snuff were also extensively
produced, as was leather, rope, sailcloth, bricks, stoneware, machinery and
flour.

Although the port had
been very busy during the eighteenth century, there was a significant decrease
in trade in the nineteenth century. Shipbuilding, however, remained a major
industry right up until the end of the nineteenth century. At the time this
survey was carried out, there were bold plans to build a bridge over the Forth
at Alloa, which would have replaced the town's ferry service. The Stirling and
Dunfermline Railway line, meanwhile, reached Alloa in 1850. In addition to the
weekly markets held on Wednesday and Saturday, fairs were held on various dates
throughout the year.

Culture and Society

In
addition to the public library, Alloa during the mid-nineteenth century also
possessed a Mechanics' Institute, an agricultural society, a horticultural
society, a Shakespeare club and a number of charitable organisations. Founded
in 1824 by public subscription, the fee-paying Alloa Academy was built in
Grecian style in the north-east part of the town. Alloa also published two
newspapers, the Alloa Advertiser andthe
Clackmannanshire Advertiser, which appeared on a fortnightly basis. Alloa
has retained its traditional status as the administrative centre for the region
of Clackmannanshire.